It is so amazing what these dogs can do. I saw a news report right after the mudslide happened and they showed a coated shepherd that was part of the search team that reminded me a lot of Rocketdog's dog, Rocket.

Nigel

04-03-2014 10:02 PM

Sounds like horrible conditions for working dogs. There are some local teams there helping, hope conditions improve and they can stay safe.

NancyJ

04-03-2014 10:19 PM

That link would not work for me but my ISP is wonky and I am looking for another DNS server ......... anyway here is another link not sure if it is the same article.

So if you have the same problem I had I found it by googling the first part of the title and got a Nat Geo article.

I have trained with few of the folks from out there a few times and can't even imagine working in these conditions. And some of these folks are in their late 60s! (I can say that because I am in my late 50s) I have worked in a swamp and sucking mud but only for a few hours...not days. And not with anything like that. It has got to be beyond grueling and well outside the realm of what most train for.

gsdsar

04-03-2014 10:22 PM

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One of my good friends and teammates is there. I have been following this story. I can't imagine working in those conditions. God bless to all.

Several teams from the California group CARDA are heading up there now. The conditions sound horrific. I wish all the searchers and the dogs well and sympathies to all who have lost.

dog27

04-04-2014 01:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bear GSD
(Post 5319529)

It is so amazing what these dogs can do. I saw a news report right after the mudslide happened and they showed a coated shepherd that was part of the search team that reminded me a lot of Rocketdog's dog, Rocket.

My team (King County Search Dogs) was called early on to search the mudslide. We have a long haired GSD on the team who may be the one you saw on the news. I am really proud of that dog as well as the the others and their handlers. They have been working hard in very difficult conditions.

My dog and I worked there on three days. I'll share my account of the moment we all stopped working to honor the victims of the mudslide:

Quote:

Excavators. Chainsaws. Helicopters. Hovercraft. Generators. Pumps. ATVs. Radios. Dogs. The tools being used at the mudslide site make a constant cacophony of noise. Except at 10:37am on Saturday, one week after the catastrophic event, when a moment of silence was observed. I felt honored to be out there with my dog team and a fire crew. As the time approached, we turned off tools and placed helmets over hearts. But my dog doesn't really have an off switch. So for what seemed like a very long "moment" I gave him the sternest Quiet! hand signal that I could. The silence was not broken.

David Winners

04-04-2014 02:05 AM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by dog27
(Post 5321249)

My team (King County Search Dogs) was called early on to search the mudslide. We have a long haired GSD on the team who may be the one you saw on the news. I am really proud of that dog as well as the the others and their handlers. They have been working hard in very difficult conditions.

My dog and I worked there on three days. I'll share my account of the moment we all stopped working to honor the victims of the mudslide:

My deepest thanks for doing what you do. I appreciate all the hard work that goes into preparing for these trying times.

David Winners

NancyJ

04-04-2014 07:42 AM

Jonathan, yes. THANK YOU and everyone out there as we quietly follow them. Injuries aside, the chemical exposures are very risky to the dogs. I know several who worked flooding from Floyd and in NOLA who faced cancers after the experience. People are getting smarter about decontamination these days (I think we all have bottles of Dawn in our trucks now)

I did a google image search and there are many many pictures for folks interested.

I just used washington mudslide dog and then clicked on images...........

ksotto333

04-04-2014 10:20 AM

Quote.."My dog and I worked there on three days. I'll share my account of the moment we all stopped working to honor the victims of the mudslide:

Quote:
Excavators. Chainsaws. Helicopters. Hovercraft. Generators. Pumps. ATVs. Radios. Dogs. The tools being used at the mudslide site make a constant cacophony of noise. Except at 10:37am on Saturday, one week after the catastrophic event, when a moment of silence was observed. I felt honored to be out there with my dog team and a fire crew. As the time approached, we turned off tools and placed helmets over hearts. But my dog doesn't really have an off switch. So for what seemed like a very long "moment" I gave him the sternest Quiet! hand signal that I could. The silence was not broken."